Murder in the Delta Quadrant
by Kezhke
Summary: A murder mystery play on Voyager turns all too deadly. Can Tuvok find out who's responsible for their crewmate's death?
1. The Stage Is Set

**Murder in the Delta Quadrant**

by Kezhke

Disclaimer: _Star Trek_ and its characters belong to CBS/Paramount.

Synopsis: A murder mystery play on Voyager turns all too deadly. Can Tuvok find out who's responsible for their crewmate's death? Set in the third season, between "Fair Trade" and "Alter Ego," somewhere in the Nekrit Expanse.

Codes: Tu, very mild P/T

Author's Notes: Every time I watch Tuvok in action, I can hear the theme song to _Inspector Gadget_ in my head. We know our fair Voyagers amuse themselves on the holodeck and with shipwide activities like Talent Night, luaus, and First Contact Day. I've decided they must have other recreational activities, like theater.

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Stage Is Set**

"You are cordially invited to attend the premiere of _Murder in the Delta Quadrant_, a Neelix production, written by Ensign Harry Kim and directed by the Doctor." Tuvok looked up from the padd to see Neelix smiling at him.

"Well, Mr. Vulcan?"

"I shall endeavor to be in attendance, barring any conflict with my duties," Tuvok agreed, handing the padd back.

Satisfied with this answer, Neelix hurried away with the data padd, ready to pounce on the next crew member.

"Good morning, Tuvok." Captain Janeway dropped into the seat across from him without asking permission. He raised at eyebrow at her presumption, but she didn't notice, or – more likely – didn't care.

"Good morning, Captain."

"Have you heard about the play?"

"I have."

"It's quite a production. Harry's not bad as a writer, and the Doctor is a surprisingly good director." Janeway's blue eyes shined as she added, "Lieutenant Nicoletti has the lead. And Tom Paris is in the cast."

"So I have heard."

His comm badge chirped. "Lieutenant Tuvok, please report to the brig."

"The brig?" Janeway asked with curiosity as she raised her coffee mug to her lips.

"A routine diagnostic of the security system has turned up a malfunction in the force field encryption protocols," Tuvok explained as he rose from his seat. "I had intended to inform you at the morning briefing."

"And if we have to lock anybody up before you get the force fields operational again?" she asked with a crooked smile.

Tuvok paused, cocking his head to the side slightly. "Captain, you surprise me. Do anticipate the need for the incarceration of a crew member?"

"Of course not," she assured him. She took another sip of coffee. "We can always give the offending party mess hall duty."

"No doubt a more severe punishment." A quirk of the eyebrow, and Tuvok was gone.

* * *

"No, no, no!" the EMH roared. He threw his script across the cargo bay, narrowly missing Tom Paris's head. He stormed onto the stage and repositioned Ensign Pablo Baytart's hand. "Like this," he explained, gesturing with the prop knife. "Otherwise, you would merely tear through several layers of tissue but not actually open the carotid artery enough to kill her."

Baytart rolled his eyes. "But, Doctor, the point isn't to show medical knowledge." He turned Lieutenant Susan Nicoletti sideways and gestured at slashing her throat. "Like this it's more dramatic."

"But it's not believable!"

"Who cares?"

"I am the director!"

"Why don't we take a five-minute break?" Harry Kim interrupted.

The EMH huffed a little as he conversed privately with Kes.

Baytart took the opportunity to approach Harry. "Can't you do something about him?"

Harry shrugged. "He's the director."

Before Baytart could protest, the cargo bay doors rolled open, and Neelix rushed in. "Ensign Kim! Lieutenant Paris! Doctor! I have some disturbing news."

"What is it, Neelix?" Tom asked.

"Lieutenant Tuvok seems to think that – uh – sorry, Mr. Kim – that the motive for murder isn't as – uh – established as it ought to be."

"Tuvok read my script?" Harry asked with surprise.

"Only the first five pages," Neelix explained. He cast his eyes downward. "At which point he deduced the rest of the plot."

Tom stifled a laugh as he clapped a hand on Harry's back. The poor kid looked devastated. "Tough break, Harry."

Harry sighed and turned to the Doctor. "I guess it's back to the drawing board."

"We open in four days!" the Doctor exclaimed frantically.

"I don't know if I can write a new story that fast," Harry admitted.

"Even if you did, I don't think we could all learn the lines by then," Tom added.

"Creative genius takes time," the Doctor chimed in.

"Well," Neelix said to them, his yellow eyes sparkling, "I may have a crazy idea…" The other three leaned forward as he hatched his plan.

* * *

"Sue's fierce," Ensign Parsons murmured, but not softly enough for Tuvok's keen Vulcan hearing. "I keep telling her to break it off with Baytart, but she says not until after the play."

"Actors always end up in romance," Crewman White said dismissively. "Something about working on a play together – it brings people together. But it never lasts."

Ordinarily Tuvok would have reprimanded his crew for their extraneous chatter while on duty. However, given that they had virtually nothing to do but wait for assistance from the engineering team, Tuvok could not find a logical reason to order the cessation of their gossip. And Captain Janeway, he knew, was always one to encourage a little small talk on the bridge. She set a tone for the rest of the ship: the crew should enjoy their duty shifts, not look upon them as punishment.

Still, the personal nature of the conversation forced Tuvok to keep his head down, his eyes focused squarely on the console in front of him. He didn't want to stop his crew from discussing personal affairs, but he certainly didn't want to become embroiled in them either.

"She'd better be careful," O'Donnell commented. "Pablo Baytart has a real temper."

* * *

"Security alert! Lieutenant Tuvok to Gerron's quarters!"

Tuvok and two of the security officers ran down the corridor and into Gerron's quarters to find the room disheveled. Broken objects were strewn around the room as Gerron and Baytart wrestled on the floor.

The security team quickly separated and restrained the two. From what Tuvok gathered once the men were talking, their quarrel had begun over a stolen holodeck program, a lost bet, and a week's worth of replicator rations. Trivial. Tuvok frowned at the unbecoming display. It was certainly not worth the expertise of the chief security officer. He ordered Ensign Parsons to take charge of the situation and returned to the bridge.

* * *

The morning briefing was a short one. With no star systems on sensors, there was little for Ensign Kim or Lieutenant Paris to report. The engines were running fine, B'Elanna Torres relayed. Tuvok reported on the progress his team was making with the enhancements to the brig, a project that he anticipated would go much faster now that B'Elanna had assigned Lieutenant Joe Carey to help.

"In the meantime," Tuvok concluded, "Ensign Baytart and Crewman Gerron are being held in their quarters."

"You have to let Baytart out for the big night." Chakotay swiveled in his chair to look at the captain.

"Agreed. Chakotay will speak with both officers about appropriate conduct, and then you'll release them," she instructed Tuvok. She looked around the table. "We're all on nerves lately. I think this play is just what the doctor ordered."

* * *

It had been some time since they'd entered the Nekrit Expanse, and they hadn't seen anything of interest in days. On the bridge, the viewscreen was deactivated. The crew were getting restless. Even Janeway fidgeted in the captain's chair, thinking of all the things she could be doing with her time instead of monitoring the nothingness.

Chakotay was also on duty, though he couldn't figure out why both he and Janeway were necessary. He recrossed his legs and leaned toward the center console. "I hear there have been some fireworks at the rehearsals."

"Oh?" The captain leaned eagerly toward him.

"The Doctor and the leads seem to have some artistic differences."

"And Mr. Paris?" she asked, dropping her voice as her eyes drifted toward the blond troublemaker seated a few meters in front of them.

"Kes tells me Tom is quite cooperative." Chakotay smirked. "Maybe because he likes the role. The rumor is that Harry wrote it especially for him."

Janeway grinned. "The lothario of the Delta Quadrant? I'm sure there are a few women on this ship who'd have something to say about that."

"Better on stage than in real life," Chakotay answered, returning her grin.

"Finally!" Harry Kim exclaimed as his ops console beeped. All eyes on the bridge, including the captain's, turned toward him. "Sorry, Captain. We're picking up something on long-range sensors. Looks like a red giant with a planetary nebula that has some unusual gas."

"On screen."

As the bridge filled with light from the spectacle, Janeway thought she heard Tom Paris, seated in front of her, letting out a soft, "Wow."

"Mr. Kim, you said there was something unusual about the nebula?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'm reading large quantities of omicron particles."

"Omicron particles?" Janeway uncrossed her legs and rose in one swift motion. "Let's get a closer look, Mr. Paris." She came toward the helm, resting a hand on Tom's shoulder as he guided Voyager toward the nebula. "Keep us at a safe distance, Tom," she said quietly. "I don't need a replay of that last omicron-rich nebula."

"Yes, ma'am," he agreed.

She turned back to Chakotay. "If we could modify the Bussard collectors to capture some of the omicron particles, this would go a long way toward helping our energy reserves."

"B'Elanna will be happy about that."


	2. The Plot Thickens

**Chapter 2: The Plot Thickens**

When his duty shift ended, Tom sauntered toward engineering to tell B'Elanna about their find, knowing she'd appreciate any boost to their antimatter reserves. He found her – well, her backside, anyway – protruding from a console. He raised a hand, contemplating swatting her for the briefest of moments before settling for a platonic tap on the back.

She jumped reflexively, hitting her head on the inside of the panel. She wriggled out, rubbing her head, and turned to face him. "What do you want?"

"Aren't you happy to see me?" he asked with a winning smile.

She glared. "I'm happy it's not Freddie Bristow who's staring at me while I'm bent over a conduit. How long have you been standing there, anyway?"

"Isn't your shift over?"

"Five minutes ago, but I absolutely have to repair junction fourteen before I leave." She looked at him. "Want to help?"

"Sure."

She handed him her toolkit, and they crawled inside the Jefferies tube. As they made their way toward the junction, Tom mentioned casually, "You know, I once dated the great-great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter of the guy they named these after."

"You don't say."

She didn't sound the least bit interested, and, he realized after he had spoken, it wasn't the best subject to talk about with her. He decided to take another approach. "The play opens tomorrow night."

"Mmm."

"Did you hear about Tuvok? He read the first few pages of the script and then solved the whole mystery."

They arrived at junction fourteen. B'Elanna sat cross-legged in front of the access panel and began to work on a fused relay. "Hand me a phase coil resonator." Tom selected a tool from the engineering kit and handed it to her. Her eyes narrowed. "That's a relay inverter," she said, handing it back.

"Oh, sorry," Tom said without a trace of contrition. He selected an ODN converter. "Here you go."

"Try again," she said shortly. "You know perfectly well it's the one on the left. What are you up to?"

He didn't answer but gave her the phase coil resonator. B'Elanna began to work in silence, her nimble tan fingers easily manipulating the circuits. He was seated only a few centimeters from her – that was always part of working in the Jefferies tubes – and he caught himself staring at the slight pout on her mouth as she worked.

"I'll bet Harry's upset," she commented.

"About what?"

"About Tuvok." She folded her tricorder with a satisfied nod, and Tom began to wish he'd stalled longer in giving her the right tool.

B'Elanna signaled that he should lead the way out. "Wait a second," he said. He took a deep breath and looked around the empty space. "It's kind of nice in here, isn't it? _Private._"

"Tom."

He wasn't yet sure how far he could push her, but he didn't want to test her limit. "All right," he conceded, leading the way out. "Come on, there's something I wanted you to see anyway." He led her out of engineering, explaining, "I know you don't have any viewports in engineering, but I parked us close to something spectacular this afternoon. You've got to see it."

"Can we look at the mess hall? I'm starving."

"Sure. I'll tell you what's been happening at rehearsal over dinner."

* * *

"How am I supposed to sleep in this damned light?" Janeway grumbled. They were still at an all-stop while they worked on gathering and using the omicron particles. But the light from the star and nebula was filling her quarters, and she didn't have any shades to cover it. She tried to convince herself to close her eyes for a few more minutes, hoping that relaxation would do the trick. If she got up now, if Chakotay found her working…For a half-second she imagined him throwing her, protesting, over his shoulder and carrying her back to his quarters like one of the heroes in Tom Paris's stupid holoprograms.

Squeezing her eyes shut tightly, Janeway took a few deep breaths, but it didn't work. She strode out into the corridor and made a lap around the deck. A passing crewman greeted her politely, and she nodded in return.

After two laps, she decided she should go to the mess hall to see if Neelix had any coffee prepared. She couldn't very well stay up all night running in circles around the ship.

The mess hall was dark, though, and deserted. "Computer, locate Mr. Neelix."

"Neelix is in cargo bay three."

"Locate Kes."

"Kes is in cargo bay three."

"Locate Ensign Kim."

"Ensign Kim is in cargo bay three."

Janeway nodded, deducing it was a late-night rehearsal. She decided to get a preview of the play that had her ship abuzz.

She entered the cargo bay slowly so as not to disturb the rehearsal. Ensign Kim waved her over while on the makeshift stage Tom Paris embraced Lyndsay Ballard, who was dressed as some kind of alien. Which kind exactly was unclear.

"Who is she supposed to be?" Janeway whispered as she took a seat next to Harry.

"A Niederian. We made it up."

"And what's Tom doing with her?"

"Lieutenant Rome is supposed to be retrieving the stolen replicator that the security chief thinks was taken by Ensign Smith, but he's going to seduce her instead – since her husband is surveying an asteroid."

Janeway smirked. "Lieutenant Rome? A little thin, isn't it?"

Harry shrugged. "I just wrote the part. It was the Doctor who cast Tom in it."

Janeway watched the scene, as the fictional Ensign Smith (_reminiscent of Kim himself?_ Janeway wondered) entered the scene. Smith, played by Pablo Baytart, and Rome were instantly at each other's throats, not at all exhibiting a Starfleet officer's camaraderie for a shipmate.

"It's a plot device," Harry explained before she could ask. "To add a suspect."

"All right, people," the EMH called from across the makeshift stage. "Let's take five."

Neelix came out of nowhere, eager to hear the captain's approval.

"You've done a wonderful job producing this play," Janeway praised on cue. "It's very exciting. Just what the crew needs. A good mystery." She caught Neelix and Harry exchanging a glance. "Is there something wrong, gentlemen?"

"Captain," Tom called as he crossed the stage toward them, "you came to watch my performance!"

"Quite a stretch for you," she teased. "I think the crew will have the mystery solved in no time."

Harry suddenly looked serious as he exchanged conspiratorial glances with Neelix and Tom. "Captain, speaking of solving mysteries…"

* * *

"Practice, Harry, practice." He sighed and took his clarinet from its stand. But no sooner had he blown three notes than his door chime sounded.

"Come," he commanded. He raised the instrument to his lips again.

It was Baytart, and he was not happy. "Ensign Kim, I beg you. Practice on the holodeck. Practice while I'm on duty. But, please, I can't listen to any more clarinet!"

"We've been over this! It's not my fault there are fluid conduits between our quarters. I don't complain when you drop things while you're practicing your juggling."

"I have to get some sleep for the big day tomorrow," Baytart insisted, rubbing his temples.

"All right, I'm sorry. I won't play any more tonight."

"Thank you."

Harry set the clarinet down. "Actually, Pablo, I'm glad you came by. There's something I have to tell you about the show."


	3. A Saboteur

**Chapter 3: A Saboteur**

The bridge was serene. Tuvok sat in the captain's chair as gamma shift methodically went about their work. In a few hours Janeway would huff in, a flurry of activity following in her wake, but for now Tuvok enjoyed the tranquility.

"Lieutenant, sir, I think you'd better see this," said Ensign Lang from the ops station. She stepped aside as Tuvok artfully tapped the console. One eyebrow arched, he turned her.

"A malfunction with the internal sensors," Tuvok confirmed. He tapped his comm badge. "Bridge to Ensign Kim."

"Go ahead," came the somewhat sleepy reply.

"You are needed on the bridge to repair problems with the internal sensors."

A nearly inaudible sigh. "On my way."

"Sir?" Ayala called from across the bridge. "You're not going to believe this, but I just turned up another malfunction. Something's wrong with the manifest."

Tuvok swiftly crossed the bridge and took over the tactical station. "There is no malfunction. Someone has been sabotaging records of energy and food reserves. Mr. Ayala, please make note of all entries that have been tampered with. Try to identify the source of the tampering. I will investigate further when Captain Janeway relieves me." Ayala nodded, and Tuvok let him have his station back.

A security breach a day after two crew members were caught fighting? It was curious, but logic dictated that he would find the source. He returned to the captain's chair.

* * *

_Is everyone glowing, or am I just in that bad a mood? _Janeway wondered crankily as her senior officers filed into the briefing room. Tom and B'Elanna sat down, side by side. _All calm on that front for once. _ But Harry? Janeway often wondered how he felt, being the baby of the senior staff. She was glad his play was being staged. He deserved some attention.

As B'Elanna explained how they had planned to convert the Bussard collectors on the Cochrane to harvest the omicron particles, Janeway couldn't stop wondering about Harry Kim. Was he seeing anyone? Apart from the play, what was his personal life like?

"And how soon do you think it can be ready?" Chakotay asked B'Elanna, eyeing the captain. He had asked her question. Janeway knew he could tell she hadn't been concentrating; she forced herself to focus.

"Very well," she said in response to B'Elanna's timetable. "Mr. Tuvok, report?"

"There has been a sabotage of our manifest," he reported. "We have identified five instances over the last three months. We are attempting to identify the source."

"Another saboteur?" Chakotay asked with some annoyance.

"Indeed," Tuvok confirmed. "However, unlike Crewman Jonas or Seska, this saboteur has done no damage to the ship. The 'sabotaging' in question seems limited to altering lists of food."

"Why would someone do that?" Harry asked.

"I do not have sufficient evidence to form a hypothesis. However, we can surmise that supplies have either been brought aboard or removed, and the person in question wanted to camouflage his or her actions. We are attempting to decrypt the authorization codes now."

"Do you need a hand?" B'Elanna offered.

"Actually," Tom interjected hastily, "B'Elanna, I was going to ask you for some help with the repairs to the Cochrane. There's still a slight imbalance in the plasma injectors. It's fine for collecting the omicron particles, but we'll need it fixed to test the enhancements to the antimatter flow."

"I believe my security team will have the matter resolved quickly, Lieutenant," Tuvok assured B'Elanna, "but thank you."

"All right," Janeway declared, "it sounds as if we all have a lot of work to do. Dismissed."

As they filed out, Tuvok took note of a look Harry gave to Tom, though he did not understand its significance.

* * *

Tuvok entered the captain's ready room, padd in hand. "We have isolated the source of the interferences, Captain. On each instance the original record was deleted, and a falsified record left in its place. I said before that there were five instances in the last three months. That was imprecise. Five records over three months have been altered, but they have all been altered within the last twenty-four hours."

Janeway took the padd from him. "And who is the culprit?"

Tuvok didn't miss a beat. "The culprit," he said, "is Ensign Baytart."

Janeway sighed and leaned back in her desk chair. "Do you have any idea why the records were altered?"

"As yet, we can only formulate theories."

"I'm reluctant to bring Baytart in for questioning. The play is scheduled to open in six hours."

"Captain, if Ensign Baytart has been tampering with our manifest, it is conceivable that he is able to inflict more significant damage to our systems."

"Yes, but why would he? Wouldn't it be better to let him continue without knowing you're investigating him, so you can figure out what he's up to? Besides, I don't want to spoil the play for a few stolen vegetables. The whole crew is looking forward to it. Harry's worked so hard on it. They all have." She shook her head. "Keep a close eye on Baytart, but until you have reason to believe that the ship and crew are in danger, let's just say, 'The show must go on.'"

Tuvok raised a skeptical eyebrow but did not protest. He had long ago learned which battles were worth fighting with Kathryn Janeway.

* * *

"Doctor, your padd," said Kes as she handed the director his script.

Enjoying his power a little too much, the Doctor hollered in a voice several decibels louder than was necessary, "Quiet! Places!" At his side Kes winced slightly while the actors scrambled to their places one last time.

"I think we have a hit," Neelix declared with a delighted clap of his hands when the scene ended.

"Only three hours to go, gentlemen," Janeway said approvingly. "I can't wait to see the final product."

"Neither can I, Captain," the Doctor said with no trace of modesty. "Directing a work of theater is –"

"Chakotay to Janeway."

She reflexively tapped the badge on her chest. "Go ahead."

"Captain, B'Elanna reports that the Cochrane is ready to test the enhanced antimatter flow."

"All right, Chakotay, Tom and I are on our way. Janeway out." She nodded at the helmsman, who was still in costume, and they headed out of the makeshift theater together.

When they arrived at the shuttle bay, Janeway clapped him on the back. "Good luck, Mr. Paris. I'll be on the bridge monitoring your progress." She nodded toward B'Elanna, who accompanied her back toward the turbolift.

On the bridge Chakotay was pacing back and forth in front of the captain's chair. He looked up as Janeway and B'Elanna entered, mentally turning the seat over to the captain although she walked right up to his side.

"Cochrane to Voyager," Paris reported over the comm. "I'm ready for launch."

"Go ahead, Mr. Paris," Janeway declared, looking into Chakotay's eyes. "We'll be monitoring your progress."

From her engineering station, B'Elanna added, "It won't be enough to notice at lower speeds, but once he reaches warp six we should see a bump in the antimatter flow."

"Did you hear that, Mr. Paris?"

"Acknowledged. Setting a course for 1647 mark 8, warp two."

Without being told, Ensign Lang at ops switched the viewscreen to the shuttle, and they watched as it powered up and took off. Janeway nodded to Culhane at the conn. "Match his course and speed, Ensign."

"So far, so good," B'Elanna reported from the starboard engineering station. "He can take it up to warp four."

"Acknowledged," Paris said once again.

"Okay, Tom," B'Elanna called after a moment. "Everything seems all right. Let's try for warp six. You may feel a lurch."

"With me at the helm? Never! Increasing speed to warp six," said Tom over the comm right before the Cochrane dropped out of warp and Voyager sped past.

"All stop," Chakotay ordered.

"What happened?" Janeway demanded.

B'Elanna stabbed at her console before smacking it with an open palm. "I don't know," she said with a frown.

"Tom, can you try to engage your warp engines again?"

"Captain, I've lost warp and impulse engines," he reported. "I think I've got thrusters."

"All right, let's tow him in," she barked at Tuvok.

B'Elanna still looked confused. "I don't understand, Captain. Even if the modifications didn't work, they shouldn't have affected the impulse drive."

"Get down to the shuttle bay and take a look at those engines."


	4. Means and Motive

**Chapter 4: Means and Motive**

"Hey, helm boy, what'd you do to this shuttle?"

Tom Paris swiveled in his chair and smirked as B'Elanna entered the Cochrane, loathing the day Harry had told her about the female Q's nickname for him. "Did you come to rescue me?"

"I think you're beyond rescuing," B'Elanna said with a smirk of her own. She pushed past him. "I knew I should have gone with you."

Tom shifted to the other chair, allowing B'Elanna to take the pilot's seat. "I'm glad you didn't."

B'Elanna looked up from her work. "Why?" she asked sincerely, and Tom could see a glimmer of genuine hurt in her eyes.

"Because," he said easily, "I wouldn't have been able to concentrate with you sitting next to me."

She turned back to the console. "You're still a pig, Tom," she muttered.

He leaned toward her, causing his chest to brush against her shoulder, his face mere centimeters from hers. "Could you use a hand?"

"Hands to yourself, Lieutenant. I've got work to do."

* * *

"Kes," the Doctor said as he exited his office, "the last time you did an inventory of our medical supplies, how many cc's of tetraheparin did we have in the dispensary?"

"About forty," Kes replied instantly. "In fact I just an inventory two weeks ago, and we haven't had any use for an anticoagulant since then." She regarded the Doctor carefully. "Is there an experiment you're working on?"

"No," he said with a somewhat cryptic expression, "not yet."

* * *

"Torres to Tuvok."

"Go ahead."

"The Cochrane was sabotaged. I think you'd better come to the shuttle bay."

"I am on my way. Tuvok out."

Tom raised his eyebrows suggestively at B'Elanna. "It'll take him two minutes to get here, assuming he doesn't have to wait for the turbolift."

B'Elanna raised her eyebrows right back mockingly. "What on earth should we do in the meantime?"

"I was thinking about a quick game of charades." They both laughed lightly. Tom spun in his chair to face her, suddenly serious. "B'Elanna, I never got a chance to explain about the play…"

"You don't owe me an explanation."

"The whole 'lothario of the Delta Quadrant thing' – that was Harry's idea –"

"Tom," she interrupted, "it's a play. I get it."

But Tom wasn't quite finished yet. "I just didn't want you to think that's who I am anymore," he added quietly, looking down at his hands folded in his lap.

B'Elanna turned her attention back to the console. "Who you are, Lieutenant," she said, equally quietly, "is someone who causes problems with shuttlecraft."

Before Tom had a chance to respond, they heard Tuvok's footsteps behind them. "What is the trouble?"

"We found a subroutine in the navigational interface," Tom explained, stepping aside for Tuvok to see the console.

* * *

"Attention all hands," Neelix's voice declared over the shipwide communications system. Janeway shot a look of fury at Chakotay. What the hell was Neelix doing making a shipwide announcement? "The opening of _Murder in the Delta Quadrant_, directed by the Doctor and written by Ensign Harry Kim, and produced by me – Neelix – and starring Ensign Pablo Baytart, Lieutenant Susan Nicoletti, Lieutenant Tom Paris, Ensign Lyndsay Ballard, Crewman Elise Foster, and Ensign Derrick Murphy, will begin in ten minutes. Please proceed to cargo bay three –" The announcement ceased as Janeway made a cutthroat motion at Ensign Lang, who disabled the comm system.

"Well," she said a little more cordially, "you heard him." She and Chakotay headed for the turbolift.

As they stepped inside, Chakotay commented good-naturedly, "They've all worked really hard on this, haven't they?"

"I know. I think it's a good exercise for the Doctor. Directing a play means exploring the finer subtleties of human interaction and emotion, and leading the other crew members has no doubt helped him improve his social skills."

"I'm sure Kes has helped, too," Chakotay added.

"And Harry," Janeway continued. "How exciting for him to get some recognition."

"Nothing another pip couldn't top," Chakotay muttered. But the captain heard him and laughed. Chakotay turned to her with surprise. He opened his mouth to say something but changed his mind.

"What is it?"

"You really care about them, don't you?"

"In some ways, Chakotay, Voyager has been a dream," she explained, her eyes distant. "For once I've gotten the opportunity to really get to know the people under my command, in ways I never would have if we hadn't gotten lost in the Delta Quadrant."

The turbolift doors slipped open, just as their comm badges beeped. "Tuvok to Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay. Please report to the shuttle bay." They looked at each other, shrugged, and stepped back into the lift.

"Janeway to Neelix."

"Captain, are you on your way?"

"Commander Chakotay and I have been detained. Can you wait a few minutes before starting?"

"Of course, Captain," Neelix replied. "Tom isn't here yet either."

"He must be in the shuttle bay, too," Chakotay commented. "I wonder what Tuvok found down there."

* * *

When they entered the shuttle bay, they found Paris, Torres, Tuvok, and two security officers standing in a huddle.

"Report."

"The converted warp engines were sabotaged," B'Elanna explained. "The engines were programmed to shut down and go offline once they were tapped for warp six. Whoever did this must have known it was the precise speed we'd be testing."

"Well, that could be anyone on the senior staff or in engineering," Chakotay noted.

"Additionally," Tuvok added, "the omicron particles are unaccounted for, although we are having trouble with internal sensors. But the encryption used to program the warp malfunction is the same as the encryption used on our manifest."

"You're saying this was done by the same person who altered our food storage record?" Janeway asked.

"Baytart?" Chakotay echoed.

"Lieutenant," one of the security officers interrupted, handing Tuvok a padd.

Tuvok quickly scrolled through it. "Captain, we have a more precise inventory of the missing supplies: several cases of Jibalian fudge, ten kilos of kava fruit, and now the omicron particles."

"Do you know what's happening with the supplies?" Janeway asked.

"We have identified several subspace messages…to the Tak Tak."

"The Tak Tak?" Chakotay sounded skeptical. "Who would want to contact them?"

"Why would someone take fudge, fruit, and omicron particles?" B'Elanna wanted to know. "Wouldn't it be better to take dilithium or warp plasma?"

"Or a few cases of leola root?" Tom prompted.

But no one had an answer.

"Captain, Lieutenant," Ayala called as he entered the shuttle bay, "we've traced the origin of the subspace transmissions and located a storage canister of omicron particles. They were both in Sue Nicoletti's quarters."

"Let's go," Janeway barked.

* * *

"A member of my team? I don't believe it." B'Elanna watched with her arms defiantly folded across her chest as the security team rooted through Nicoletti's quarters.

"Now you know how I felt when we learned about Seska," Chakotay murmured.

"We now have plenty of evidence to hold Lieutenant Nicoletti," Tuvok announced.

"Tuvok," Janeway intervened, "she is performing the lead role in the play. As long as we don't think the Tak Tak are going to turn up and cause trouble, let's talk to her after the show, all right?"

"Captain, I don't think that would be – "

"Tuvok, sometimes logical isn't the best for morale."

Tuvok did not argue with her – he wouldn't – but he wondered how turning up a traitor and encountering a rogue group of the Tak Tak would be for morale. "Very well," he consented with reluctance. "But I will interrogate Lieutenant Nicoletti immediately following the conclusion of the play."

"Right after the curtain call," Janeway agreed. She slipped her arm through Chakotay's. "Now, Commander, I believe the best seats in the house are awaiting us." As they headed out of Nicoletti's quarters, she called over her shoulder, "You too, Tuvok."

"Captain, I have not finished –"

"You have five minutes to get to the cargo bay, or I'm initiating a site-to-site transport."


	5. Method Acting

**Chapter 5: Method Acting**

"Good evening, Captain, Commander," Kes greeted them. "I hope everything in the shuttle bay was resolved?"

"Everything's just fine, Kes," Janeway said with a smile. "Will you show us to our seats?"

"Of course."

The petite blonde led the command team to a row of seats front and center. Tuvok and B'Elanna were close on their heels, but Tom turned toward the makeshift dressing room.

"Good luck," B'Elanna called after him as Tuvok slipped by her.

Tom took a few steps in B'Elanna's direction. "You mean, 'break a leg.'"

"Why would I want you to do that?"

"It's the traditional way to wish someone luck before a play." B'Elanna made a face at this piece of information, and Tom couldn't help breaking into a grin. "It's probably Klingon in origin."

"Very funny," she replied with a scowl.

"Well, come on, say it."

Her scowl deepened. "Break something," she tossed out nonchalantly as she turned to take her seat. "Preferably your jaw. I could use a relief from the bad jokes."

As she continued toward the audience, she heard him call after her, in a voice just loud enough for her, "I think I'm starting to make progress with you."

B'Elanna dropped into the empty seat beside Chakotay and gave him a glare. "What are you staring at?"

Harry Kim came out from the backstage area and took a seat behind the captain in the second row. He leaned forward eagerly. "We thought you'd never get here. Is everything okay?"

"Just fine, Harry," she assured him. "Just fine."

The house lights dimmed, and Neelix came out onto the stage. After a short speech extolling the virtues of the cast and crew of the play, each of whom he named, he declared ceremoniously, "And now I am pleased to present…_Murder in the Delta Quadrant_!"

It wasn't long into the first act before Tuvok grew restless. He didn't fidget in his chair or fall asleep, but Janeway, on his left, could sense that his heart wasn't in the show. During a scene change one of his security officers slipped him a padd, and he scrolled through it during the encounter between "Lieutenant Rome" and the holographic medical emergency assistant. After Janeway cleared her throat at him, he rested the padd on his knee and obediently turned his attention to the steamy love scene.

"Rachel," Lieutenant Rome gushed as he took her in his arms, "I have to have you."

"But, Lieutenant Rome, I'm just a hologram. I'm not real."

"You're real enough for me," he said, kissing her.

"I'm not programmed to do that!" she protested.

"Don't worry. I can reprogram you." He kissed her again as the lights faded.

B'Elanna stifled a laugh at Harry's corny dialogue. She wondered exactly how much influence Tom had had on developing his character. And who exactly was the doting blonde hologram supposed to be? Kes? The Doctor? It was ridiculous.

When the lights came up on the next scene, she rolled her eyes at Chakotay, who smiled in return.

"My husband won't be back for some time, Lieutenant Rome," Nicoletti, as a Portarian female, said. "You could wait here."

"I suppose this would be as good a time as any to make a cultural exchange."

"What aspects of our culture intrigue you the most?"

"Mating rituals." Lieutenant Rome pulled the woman toward him as Baytart, dressed as Ensign Smith, entered the stage with the Portarian male, played by Murphy.

"What are you doing, Rome?" Smith accused.

"You're not supposed to be back yet."

"Well, we're back, and I'm glad," Smith nearly yelled. "I thought we talked about your interest in 'interspecies cultural exchange.'" He reached for the phaser at his hip.

"You're not my commanding officer," Rome argued, lunging at him. The two wrestled until the phaser clattered away. Nicoletti picked it up and pointed it at both of them.

"Now I have you both exactly where I want you." She motioned for Murphy – her husband – to join them. "You're going to tell me how to get a ship to that asteroid, or I'm going to kill all three of you."

Baytart – Ensign Smith – easily kicked the phaser out of her hands, grabbed the knife on the nearby table, and slit her throat. She slumped to the floor as the lights went out.

The audience managed polite applause at the unconvincing scene. But as Neelix tottered on stage to announce intermission, the lights came up – and the audience abruptly stopped. There, where Baytart had left her, was Nicoletti, a pool of blood circling her. Murphy picked up the prop knife and tested it on a finger. It didn't cut.

Janeway rose to her feet, as did Tuvok. He ordered a seal on the cargo bay doors. The Doctor ran to Nicoletti, examined her neck, and looked at the captain with a grim face. Then he called for an emergency transport to sick bay with Kes.

"What the hell happened?" Janeway demanded as she stormed onto the stage.

Tuvok was as cool as ever and immediately took charge. "Mr. Neelix, were you making a recording of this performance?" Neelix nodded, unable to speak. "We will need to review it immediately." Tuvok nodded to Ayala, who moved off with Neelix.

"Mr. Paris, Mr. Baytart," Tuvok continued, "please describe the scene you just performed as it was intended."

Meanwhile the members of the audience who were in Tuvok's security contingent began interrogating everyone present.

"Sorry, Lieutenant," Ayala reported as he and Neelix returned to the stage. "There is no recording. Neelix forget to start it." Neelix shrugged feebly while Tuvok eyed him.

The senior officers gathered in a corner. "Let's go through this again," Janeway said, hands on her hips. "Your theory is that Nicoletti was trying to sell supplies to the Tak Tak. Why? In exchange for what?"

"I do not know," Tuvok admitted.

"And she disabled the enhanced engine on the Cochrane?"

"Correct."

"Well, at least we know it wasn't a piloting error," Tom said wryly.

"And why would someone attempt to kill her?"

"Perhaps," Tuvok surmised, "someone knew what she was planning."

"Maybe she had a partner," Chakotay suggested. "You said Baytart was responsible for altering the manifest."

"She and Baytart have been together a lot," Harry chimed in. "Rumor is that they're involved."

"Then why would he want to kill her?" B'Elanna asked.

"Ensign Baytart and Crewman Gerron were recently involved in a physical altercation," Tuvok noted. "Ensign Kim, have you noted any interactions between Lieutenant Nicoletti and Gerron?"

"Gerron?" Tom guffawed. "Everyone knows he and Nicoletti were going out, and she left him for Baytart."

"Everyone who?" B'Elanna challenged.

"But that doesn't explain everything," Chakotay reasoned. "Why would Gerron want to kill his old lover?"

"I'm pretty sure you wanted to kill Seska once or twice," B'Elanna said under her breath.

"Sick bay to Captain Janeway."

"Go ahead."

"Captain, I am sorry to report that Lieutenant Nicoletti is dead."

* * *

Before the doors to sick bay were fully parted, Janeway and Tuvok rushed in, beelining it toward a biobed with a form covered in a sheet. The doctor came up behind them. "The knife precisely opened her carotid artery, and though we ordinarily can repair such wounds, there was an anticoagulant found on the wound, suggesting the knife had been treated with it in advance. She bled to death before we could even get her back here."

"And there's no reversal for this anticoagulant?" Janeway asked.

"Unfortunately, no," the EMH said quietly.

"Doctor, where would someone acquire this anticoagulant?" Tuvok asked.

"We have some tetraheparin in stock," Kes explained. "I just did an inventory. We're missing about twenty cc's."

"When was your last inventory?" Tuvok inquired.

"Three days ago," Kes answered with a sideways look at the Doctor. It was a day after Gerron and Baytart had been caught fighting. Tuvok raised an eyebrow. "But I still don't see how someone else could have gotten a hold of it," Kes continued. "The doctor and I are the only people on board who are authorized to access it."

"We will need to determine who overrode the security lockouts," Tuvok said calmly. He took a deep breath. "I will access the internal sensors."


	6. The Big Reveal

**Chapter 6: The Big Reveal  
**

Captain Janeway wasted no time getting down to business as the senior officers filed into the briefing room the following morning. "Mr. Tuvok, what kind of progress have you made on solving the murder?"

"I believe that Gerron and Ensign Baytart were involved in a covert scheme to buy and sell energy and supplies, both on and off Voyager," Tuvok reported. "They are both in custody in the brig."

"You got the force fields working?" B'Elanna asked with surprise.

"Curiously, no," he told her. "It seems that the malfunction is beyond Lieutenant Carey's expertise. The crew members in question are in the brig, but they are being guarded by officers." He swiveled his chair back to the captain. "On a related note, we are again facing malfunctions with the internal sensors."

"B'Elanna, I thought you said you and Harry were working on that," Janeway scolded.

"We did, Captain," B'Elanna argued. "At least they were working as of yesterday before the play."

"You think either Baytart or Gerron killed Nicoletti?" Chakotay asked Tuvok.

"We do not believe she sent the messages to the Tak Tak or acquired the omicron particles."

"You think she was set up?" Harry clarified.

Tuvok opened his mouth to answer, but he stopped when he saw Neelix out of the corner of his eye removing his comm badge and holding it under the table. Realizing he was being watched, Neelix stammered sheepishly, "Oh, excuse me, Mr. Tuvok, I noticed a spot and decided to polish it."

"I see."

"Security to Tuvok. Lieutenant, we've just found a knife in Gerron's quarters. It's got anticoagulant residue and traces of Nicoletti's DNA on it."

Tuvok glanced at Janeway, who nodded her approval, and affirmed he was on his way.

* * *

As he made his way to Gerron's quarters, Tuvok had the distinct sense that he was being followed. He did not turn around. If his working theory was correct, he knew who was behind him, and he knew the reason. It would all be over in a matter of minutes.

When the door to Gerron's quarters opened, Tuvok first saw the Doctor holding a sharp object and looking closely at it. He stepped inside, allowing the doors to close behind him, and said nothing. After a moment, he turned back toward the door, triggering it to open.

The rest of the senior staff were in the corridor.

"If you will come inside," he told them, "I believe I now have sufficient evidence to solve this mystery."

They scattered about the quarters as Tuvok paced on the rug. He placed the palms of his hands together, index fingers up, the tips touching his forehead, and drew in a deep breath.

"I was summoned to break up a fight between Baytart and Gerron. However, it was a trivial dispute that did not necessitate the mediation of the chief of security." As he paced between them, Chakotay looked inquisitively at Janeway, but her face gave nothing away. Tuvok drank in this nonverbal exchange. "I was then informed that the warp engines on the shuttle Cochrane had been tampered with." He looked with steely eyes at Tom Paris. "By the time I arrived at the shuttle bay, Lieutenant Torres had isolated the source of the tampering. The culprit had used the same encryption algorithm as the person who altered Voyager's manifest. Those alterations began this entire investigation."

Neelix put a hand on his whiskers and furrowed his brow. "But the murder?"

"Indeed. The murder allegedly involved someone killing Lieutenant Nicoletti during a scene change with a knife that had been treated with tetraheparin, a substance which rendered it impossible for the Doctor to save her."

"What does it all mean?"

"It means that Gerron is not the responsible party." Tuvok continued his pacing, hands now behind his back, pausing for dramatic purposes. He knew he had his shipmates' complete attention.

"Lieutenant Paris." He stopped directly in front of the named helmsman accusingly. "You were the only one who could have disabled the engines on the Cochrane."

"But the program and the omicron particles!"

"Lieutenant Torres, you are the only member of the crew who could have created the program we found on the Cochrane. And you were on board the shuttle before I arrived. Additionally, you assigned Lieutenant Carey to repair the force fields in the brig, which he was unable to do, and your feigned incompetence has kept the internal sensors offline for two days."

Torres opened her mouth to protest, but Tuvok cut her off.

"Ensign Kim, you provided the necessary situation for murder – the play – and the information linking the lives of Nicoletti, Baytart, and Gerron. Additionally, you had access to the props backstage before the performance."

"But I didn't disable the recording. That was Neelix."

"Yes," Tuvok agreed. "Mr. Neelix would also have been the first person to notice the missing food supplies. And it was Mr. Neelix who activated his comm badge during the senior officers' meeting – after which I was summoned here."

"All very well, Tuvok," Chakotay remarked, "but how does this help us solve the murder?"

"The person who killed Nicoletti had to have access to the anticoagulant."

"What are you saying, Tuvok?" the EMH asked. "Who killed Nicoletti?"

"You did." Tuvok paused. "That is imprecise. You claimed she was dead."

"What do you mean?" Janeway asked.

"We saw a hologram. We did not examine it," Tuvok reminded her as he faced out the viewport. "And internal sensors have been malfunctioning. The computer could not determine Lieutenant Nicoletti's whereabouts if asked. It also could not, for instance, verify that Crewman Gerron and Ensign Baytart are both in the brig right now. No, I believe that Lieutenant Nicoletti is still alive. Which leads to one conclusion."

Had he been facing them, he would have seen Tom Paris smirking and Harry Kim staring hard at the carpet. Even Janeway was on the verge of laughter as she asked, "What is it?"

Tuvok turned to them. "That you have all been conspiring against me."

At this point all save Tuvok erupted into laughter.

"All right, you got us," B'Elanna admitted.

"We wanted to see if we could stump you," Neelix added.

"A little revenge for criticism of the play," Harry chimed in.

"You have to admit," Chakotay teased, "we had you going for awhile."

"Your acting abilities in this scenario rival your abilities on stage," Tuvok said, causing a slight pause in the laughter as they contemplated whether it was an insult or a compliment.

Tom rose and stood beside their stoic security chief. "So, Detective Tuvok, can you identify the originator of this conspiracy?"

The doors to Gerron's quarters opened, admitting Baytart, Gerron, and a very alive Susan Nicoletti.

"I believe the obvious choice is you, Mr. Paris," Tuvok replied.

"I'm flattered."

"However, I believe this is the work of Mr. Neelix with Captain Janeway's permission. The captain has been far too cavalier about the various instances of sabotage aboard ship."

"Very good, Mr. Vulcan!" Neelix cheered. "And do you know why we devised this scheme?"

Tuvok looked at his fellow officers with resignation as he and Neelix said in unison, "Morale."

The doors to Gerron's quarters opened once more, admitting Kes with a pushcart of snacks. "Kava fruit punch, anyone? Neelix also made a Jibalian fudge cake for the occasion." She winked at Tuvok. "It looks like the missing food supplies turned up after all."

"There's one thing I don't get," Chakotay said to B'Elanna as they sipped the green punch. "What about the Tak Tak?"

"Oh, come on, Chakotay," she chided. "You don't think I'm capable of faking subspace messages?"

"I assume you're also capable of having the internal sensors and the force fields in the brig operational after you finish your cake?"

In another corner of the room Tuvok approached Janeway. "Captain, you allowed two crew members to be taken into custody and accused of murder, one to be declared dead, and considerable resources to be spent on this exercise."

"I know, Tuvok," she admitted, taking a bite of her cake, "but we so rarely get the chance to pull a joke on you."

"Everyone! Everyone!" Neelix called over the din. "Tomorrow night is the real premiere of _Murder in the Delta Quadrant_ at 2000. Don't forget!"

"Captain," Tuvok said quietly, "is this an extension of the joke?"

"Oh no, Tuvok," she said, patting his shoulder, "you still have to see the whole play."

**The End**


End file.
